Metal-Expo’2019: Post Event Report
Metal-Expo’2019, the 25th International Industrial Exhibition was held on November 12 -15 at VDNHa Fairgrounds, Moscow, Russia. The jubilee exhibition became the main platform for exhibiting key priorities in steel production, equipment manufacture and solutions supplies and working out strategy of the steel industry future development.
In the welcome address to Metal-Expo’2019 exhibitors and visitors Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation stated: “Over the 25 years the exhibition has become a well reputed platform for discussing prospects of the steel industry, exhibiting the most state-of-the-art solutions and equipment. Traditionally, the exhibition brings together state authorities and businessmen, as well as leading Russian and international experts to exchange opinions, exhibit achievements, and sign mutually beneficial agreements”.
Metal-Expo is a large-scale forum important not only for the industry, but also for the economy as a whole. The event is visited by steel and steel-related industries professionals from all-over the world: builders, oil and gas producers and engineers focused on promoting their products and services, establishing mutually beneficial business contacts, and developing their businesses minding the latest market trends.
Metal-Expo’2019 is attended by steel industry professionals from Russia and abroad interested in supplies of high-quality steel products, modern equipment, and solutions i.e. the whole potential of the today’s steel and steel-related industries.
This year some 600 exhibitors from 34 world countries among them Russia, China, Germany, Italy, Austria, France, USA, Great Britain, Ukraine and many more exhibited their best solutions on the exhibition space of more than 27k sqm.
Massive expositions were arranged by Russian steel and engineering companies, steel structures manufacturers and steel traders among them: MMK, Severstal, Mechel, TMK, OMK, NLMK, EVRAZ, Metalloinvest, UMMC, ChelPipe, KUMZ, Zagorsk Pipe Plant, VSMPO-AVISMA, OMZ Group, Tula Steel, AMR, TEMPO, Abinsk Electric Steel Works and many more. More than 250 international steel companies from the CIS and all over the word interested in developing cooperation in the Russian market among them: ArcelorMittal, SSAB, Metinvest, Byelorussian Steel Works, Mannesmann Stainless Tubes, Dneprotyazhmash, Marcegaglia, Aktobe Rails and Beams Works, and many more exhibited in Metal-Expo’2019 as well.
Leading equipment manufacturers supported by METALLURGMASH and Russian Engineering Union exhibited their latest solutions at the event, among them: SMS group, Metalforme, Danieli, EZTM, Weber CoMechanics, NKMZ, KAMI, Nord Drives, Reltec, Litmashpribor and many more.
More than 28k steel industry professionals from Russia and all-over the world came to visit Metal-Expo’2019 and attend its events. More than 3.5k company leaders and steel industry professionals attended to their stands during the four days of the exhibition. Every year Metal-Expo regular exhibitors enlarge their delegations, not only by the number of professional stand attendants, but also by the number of top managers. Delegations of some large steel producers consist of 60—80 professionals headed by CIOs, General Managers, Heads of Sales, etc. This year MMK’s delegation of 150 top managers and industry professionals topped the list.
During the four days of Metal-Expo’2019 its exhibitors and visitors signed agreements, conducted negotiations and held meetings at their stands and at numerous conferences held in parallel to the exhibition. Almost all the participants increased their order portfolios, established new business contacts, and enlarged their data bases. Thus, TMK and Metalloinvest signed an agreement on supplies of sponge iron and strips, TMK and Prommashkomplekt signed an agreement on supplies of round continuous cast billets. MMK, MMK-METIZ, MMK-INDUSTRIAL PARK and Terwingo agreed on building a steel wire production plant at MMK-INDUSTRIAL PARK facilities. Some scientific agreements were signed at Metal-Expo’2019 as well: TSNIIChermet Institute signed three agreements with steel companies: an agreement with Ruspolymet on establishing a research center in the Nizhny Novgorod region, an agreement with OMK on joint designing new steel grades for manufacture of wheels, tubes and plates, and an agreement with Asha Steel Works on joint researches aimed at improving the works products’ quality and productivity. Steel industry digitalization was also found at Metal-Expo’2019: CROC and Primetals Technologies signed the first strategic partnership agreement on developing IT-solutions for steel enterprises’ digitalization to meet the market needs.
More than 60 events (seminars, conferences, roundtables, master classes etc.) on the most pressing problems of the steel and steel-related industries were held in parallel to Metal-Expo’2019, among them: using advanced materials and solutions in the ferrous and non-ferrous industries, galvanizing, secondary resources, standardization of reinforced steels, the market of galvanized and pre-coated products, steel structures, hardware products, marketing, IT-solutions, corporate communication and many more.
Russian Metal and Steel Market, the 22d International Conference was held 1 day prior to Metal-Expo’2019. At the conference leaders of some 150 major steel companies and tubes producers discussed the state of the Russian and global steel markets, offer and demand of major economies, raw materials markets, steel trading and steel processing.
Members of the Steel Industry Coordination Council by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation discussed at Metal-Expo’2019 the most pressing problems of the industry, among them: the state of the national steel industry, high market’s volatility, shortage of some raw materials, protectionism, excess facilities, subsidizing policies in different economies etc, while more than 150 delegates from research centers attended New Advanced Materials, Equipment and Solutions, the 18th Scientific Conference.
Issues of use of steel products in the automotive industry and medicine were discussed at a workshop on mastering new types of steel products for the automotive industry and a roundtable on expanding range of domestic steel products for medicine.
Non-ferrous producers also discussed industry problems at a roundtable held during the exhibition. A conference on additive and 3D solutions in engineering was also held during Metal-Expo’2019. In addition to that a number of events on use of steel in construction were held.
Metal-Expo’2019 program also included events organized by its exhibitors. Thus, TMK, EVRAZ, Severstal, Severstal-Metiz, NLMK, Izhora Tube-Rolling Mill etc. held meetings with their regional representatives.
Metal Supply and Sales journal, the General Information Partner of the exhibition broadcast from its stand live interviews with steel company leaders and industry professionals. More than 80 top managers were interviewed during the exhibition.
Traditionally, winners of the Main Event in the Russian Steel Industry’2019 contest were awarded at the exhibition. The main events in 2019 became commissioning of Tula-Steel mill, commissioning of the second stage of KUMZ foundry and rolling complex, and building of MMK agglofactory #5. The total amount of investments in the projects exceeded $130 bn.
Awarding winners of contests for the best developments in the ferrous and non-ferrous industries Metal-Expo’2019 gold and silver medals and winners of contests among young scientists were also held during the exhibition.
Among other contests held during Metal-Expo’2019 were: contests for the Best Russian Warehouse, the Best Russian Steel Service Center, the Best Russian Sales Network The Best Internet Project among Russian and the CIS Steel Producers and Traders, as well as MetalVision’2019 a contest for the best corporate video among steel companies. In addition to that 120 Metal-Expo’2019 exhibitors were awarded for the best expositions.
In their reviews many Metal-Expo’2019 exhibitors call the event a perfect business platform for developing mutually beneficial cooperation and exhibiting the best industry solutions pointing out that a high concentration of contractors at the event helps find solutions to the most pressing business problems.
The majority of Metal-Expo’2019 exhibitors estimated their participation as highly efficient and already confirmed their participation in Meal-Expo’2020, the 26th International Industrial Exhibition (November 10-13, VDNHa, Moscow, Russia).
